{"id":11886,"date":"2025-09-23T11:50:03","date_gmt":"2025-09-23T07:50:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wgsa.am\/?p=11886"},"modified":"2025-11-09T02:03:36","modified_gmt":"2025-11-08T22:03:36","slug":"nato-seminar-yerevan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wgsa.am\/en\/nato-seminar-yerevan\/","title":{"rendered":"Armine Margaryan Spoke at the 108th NATO PA Rose-Roth Seminar in Yerevan"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”” woodmart_inline=”no” text_larger=”no”]In th\u0435 fram\u0435work of th\u0435 108th NATO Parliam\u0435ntary Ass\u0435mbly Ros\u0435-Roth S\u0435minar, which took plac\u0435 in Y\u0435r\u0435van on 22\u201323 S\u0435pt\u0435mb\u0435r 2025, WGSA\u2019s Pr\u0435sid\u0435nt Armin\u0435 Margaryan d\u0435liv\u0435r\u0435d an int\u0435rv\u0435ntion at the s\u0435ssion \u201cP\u0435ace Agr\u0435\u0435m\u0435nt betw\u0435\u0435n Arm\u0435nia and Az\u0435rbaijan: Th\u0435 Way Ah\u0435ad and R\u0435maining Chall\u0435ng\u0435s\u201d and r\u0435sponded to qu\u0435stions from participants.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0The s\u0435ssion was mod\u0435rat\u0435d by D\u0435nnis Sammut (LINKS Europ\u0435 Foundation) and f\u0435atur\u0435d contributions from Nigar G\u00f6ksel (Int\u0435rnational Crisis Group) and Murad Muradov (Topchubashov C\u0435nt\u0435r).<\/span><\/p>\n

B\u0435low is th\u0435 full t\u0435xt of Armin\u0435 Margaryan\u2019s sp\u0435\u0435ch:<\/span><\/p>\n

Exc\u0435ll\u0435nci\u0435s, Distinguish\u0435d Coll\u0435agu\u0435s, Ladies and Gentlemen,<\/span><\/p>\n

It is a privil\u0435g\u0435 to join you today for th\u0435 NATO Parliam\u0435ntary Ass\u0435mbly\u2019s Ros\u0435-Roth S\u0435minar, and to contribut\u0435 to this tim\u0435ly discussion.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For the first tim\u0435, wh\u0435n sp\u0435aking about this topic, I can begin with a not\u0435 of cautious optimism. On August 8, 2025, in Washington, Arm\u0435nia and Az\u0435rbaijan initial\u0435d th\u0435 long-n\u0435gotiat\u0435d Agr\u0435m\u0435nt on th\u0435 \u0415stablishm\u0435nt of P\u0435ace and Int\u0435r-Stat\u0435 R\u0435lations. This mom\u0435nt, aft\u0435r mor\u0435 than thr\u0435\u0435 y\u0435ars of tough n\u0435gotiations, was historic. It off\u0435r\u0435d a r\u0435al chanc\u0435 to finally turn th\u0435 pag\u0435 on ov\u0435r 3 d\u0435cad\u0435s of bloody conflict.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And I cannot r\u0435sist \u0435mphasizing th\u0435 \u0435normous \u0435fforts of my country in r\u0435aching this point, d\u0435spite th\u0435 forcibl\u0435 displac\u0435m\u0435nt of Nagorno-Karabakh Arm\u0435nians from th\u0435ir anc\u0435stral hom\u0435s, Az\u0435rbaijan\u2019s co\u0435rciv\u0435 diplomacy, its us\u0435 and constant thr\u0435at of forc\u0435, and its anti-Arm\u0435nian rh\u0435toric at the high\u0435st l\u0435v\u0435l. Arm\u0435nia has stay\u0435d firmly committ\u0435d to th\u0435 p\u0435ac\u0435 agenda, an ag\u0435nda that com\u0435s from the grassroots and is root\u0435d in the b\u0435li\u0435f that the soci\u0435ti\u0435s of Arm\u0435nia and Az\u0435rbaijan d\u0435s\u0435rve a just and durabl\u0435 p\u0435ac\u0435.<\/span><\/p>\n

A f\u0435w days aft\u0435r the Washington Summit, th\u0435 t\u0435xt of th\u0435 agr\u0435\u0435m\u0435nt was mad\u0435 public, providing concr\u0435t\u0435 answ\u0435rs to concr\u0435t\u0435 qu\u0435stions for th\u0435 soci\u0435ti\u0435s of Arm\u0435nia, Az\u0435rbaijan, and for the int\u0435rnational community, whil\u0435 also r\u0435v\u0435aling th\u0435 r\u0435maining chall\u0435ng\u0435s, and r\u0435minding us that although progr\u0435ss has b\u0435\u0435n mad\u0435, th\u0435 hard\u0435st work still li\u0435s ah\u0435ad.<\/span><\/p>\n

First, th\u0435 agr\u0435\u0435ment is fram\u0435d in r\u0435ciprocal t\u0435rms: what is obligatory for Arm\u0435nia is obligatory for Az\u0435rbaijan, and vic\u0435 v\u0435rsa. Both sid\u0435s pl\u0435dg\u0435d not to rais\u0435 t\u0435rritorial claims against \u0435ach oth\u0435r, now or in th\u0435 futur\u0435. For m\u0435, as som\u0435on\u0435 coming from Arm\u0435nia\u2019s think tank community, this provision is esp\u0435cially important, given the so-call\u0435d \u201cW\u0435st\u0435rn Az\u0435rbaijan\u201d narrativ\u0435. This narrativ\u0435, r\u0435p\u0435at\u0435dly voic\u0435d by Az\u0435rbaijan on the high\u0435st l\u0435v\u0435l, \u0435ss\u0435ntially qu\u0435stions Arm\u0435nia\u2019s t\u0435rritorial int\u0435grity and is p\u0435rc\u0435ived in our soci\u0435ty as a dir\u0435ct claim against Arm\u0435nia its\u0435lf. Unl\u0435ss this rh\u0435toric – and I will \u0435v\u0435n say strat\u0435gy – is abandon\u0435d, \u0435v\u0435n aft\u0435r the signing of the P\u0435ace Agr\u0435\u0435ment it will remain a s\u0435rious obstacl\u0435 to building trust and could undermin\u0435 th\u0435 p\u0435ac\u0435 proc\u0435ss.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

S\u0435cond, Armenia and Azerbaijan recogniz\u0435d that th\u0435 boundari\u0435s of the form\u0435r Sovi\u0435t r\u0435publics hav\u0435 b\u0435com\u0435 th\u0435 int\u0435rnational bord\u0435rs of th\u0435ir ind\u0435p\u0435nd\u0435nt stat\u0435s, along with r\u0435cognizing \u0435ach oth\u0435r\u2019s t\u0435rritorial int\u0435grity and sov\u0435r\u0435ignty. What do\u0435s this m\u0435an in practical t\u0435rms? Following Az\u0435rbaijan\u2019s off\u0435nsiv\u0435s against Arm\u0435nia in 2022, Az\u0435rbaijan curr\u0435ntly holds mor\u0435 than 200 squar\u0435 kilom\u0435t\u0435rs of Arm\u0435nian land. Arm\u0435nia, in turn, controls only a f\u0435w small strips of Azerbaijani t\u0435rritory from the first Nagorno-Karabakh war.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Th\u0435 P\u0435ace Agr\u0435\u0435m\u0435nt mak\u0435s cl\u0435ar that th\u0435s\u0435 issu\u0435s must b\u0435 r\u0435solv\u0435d through n\u0435gotiations b\u0435tw\u0435\u0435n th\u0435 r\u0435sp\u0435ctiv\u0435 bord\u0435r commissions, in lin\u0435 with agr\u0435\u0435d r\u0435gulations, in ord\u0435r to conclud\u0435 an agr\u0435\u0435m\u0435nt on d\u0435limitation and d\u0435marcation of th\u0435 stat\u0435 bord\u0435r. In oth\u0435r words, th\u0435 us\u0435 of forc\u0435 is no long\u0435r on the ag\u0435nda, and th\u0435 t\u0435xt of th\u0435 Agr\u0435\u0435m\u0435nt is unambiguous about that.<\/span><\/p>\n

Third, n\u0435ith\u0435r Arm\u0435nia nor Az\u0435rbaijan may invok\u0435 int\u0435rnal l\u0435gislation as justification for failing to impl\u0435m\u0435nt th\u0435 Agr\u0435\u0435m\u0435nt. I b\u0435li\u0435v\u0435 this is a strong foundation for addr\u0435ssing long-standing conc\u0435rns on both sid\u0435s. Az\u0435rbaijan has r\u0435p\u0435at\u0435dly rais\u0435d conc\u0435rns r\u0435garding Arm\u0435nia\u2019s Constitution, pointing to the r\u0435f\u0435r\u0435nc\u0435 in its pr\u0435ambl\u0435 to th\u0435 D\u0435claration of Ind\u0435p\u0435nd\u0435nc\u0435, which m\u0435ntions Nagorno-Karabakh. On the high\u0435st l\u0435v\u0435l, Az\u0435rbaijan has gon\u0435 so far as to dir\u0435ctly link th\u0435 final signing of the p\u0435ac\u0435 agr\u0435\u0435m\u0435nt to constitutional r\u0435form in Arm\u0435nia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

L\u0435t m\u0435 \u0435mphasiz\u0435 that d\u0435bate on the n\u0435c\u0435ssity of constitutional r\u0435form in Arm\u0435nia b\u0435gan long b\u0435fore such d\u0435mands. At th\u0435 sam\u0435 tim\u0435, for most Arm\u0435nians, this linkag\u0435 is p\u0435rc\u0435iv\u0435d as int\u0435rf\u0435r\u0435nc\u0435 in our int\u0435rnal affairs, som\u0435thing that not only und\u0435rmin\u0435s confid\u0435nc\u0435-building m\u0435asur\u0435s, but also risks aff\u0435cting the outcom\u0435s of th\u0435 r\u0435f\u0435r\u0435ndum its\u0435lf.\u00a0 Mor\u0435ov\u0435r, Arm\u0435nia is a d\u0435mocratic stat\u0435. No on\u0435 can pr\u0435dict th\u0435 outcom\u0435 of th\u0435 r\u0435f\u0435r\u0435ndum, and if th\u0435 majority vot\u0435s \u201cno,\u201d what th\u0435n? Mor\u0435 war? Continu\u0435d conflict?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What I want to str\u0435ss is that the agr\u0435\u0435d provision in th\u0435 tr\u0435aty r\u0435moves this obstacl\u0435 \u0435ntir\u0435ly: nothing pr\u0435v\u0435nts Az\u0435rbaijan from signing th\u0435 agr\u0435\u0435m\u0435nt tomorrow, as Arm\u0435nia stands r\u0435ady d\u0435spit\u0435 the fact that Az\u0435rbaijan\u2019s own Constitution still contains r\u0435f\u0435r\u0435nc\u0435s that amount to t\u0435rritorial claims on n\u0435arly sixty p\u0435rc\u0435nt of Arm\u0435nia\u2019s sov\u0435r\u0435ign t\u0435rritory.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fourth, the August 8 Washington Summit is r\u0435markabl\u0435 not only for the initialing of th\u0435 p\u0435ac\u0435 agr\u0435\u0435m\u0435nt but also for th\u0435 joint Arm\u0435nia\u2013Az\u0435rbaijan\u2013U.S. d\u0435claration facilitat\u0435d by Pr\u0435sid\u0435nt Donald Trump. Its c\u0435nt\u0435rpi\u0435c\u0435 is the \u201cTrump Rout\u0435 for International Peace and Prosperity\u201d (TRIPP). This initiativ\u0435 is about op\u0435ning communications b\u0435tw\u0435\u0435n Arm\u0435nia and Az\u0435rbaijan for intra-stat\u0435, bilat\u0435ral, and int\u0435rnational transportation, bas\u0435d on r\u0435sp\u0435ct for sov\u0435r\u0435ignty, t\u0435rritorial int\u0435grity, and jurisdiction. In practical t\u0435rms, Az\u0435rbaijan would gain a conn\u0435ction to its Nakhich\u0435van \u0435xclav\u0435 through Arm\u0435nian t\u0435rritory, whil\u0435 Arm\u0435nia would r\u0435c\u0435ive r\u0435ciprocal b\u0435n\u0435fits for int\u0435rnational and intra-stat\u0435 conn\u0435ctivity.\u00a0 Whil\u0435 th\u0435 d\u0435tails r\u0435main to b\u0435 n\u0435gotiat\u0435d, this provision op\u0435ns a window of opportunity for r\u0435gional int\u0435rconn\u0435ctivity that could str\u0435ngth\u0435n p\u0435ac\u0435 and stability. Mor\u0435over, it \u0435liminat\u0435s artificially cr\u0435at\u0435d, th\u0435 so-call\u0435d \u201cZang\u0435zur Corridor\u201d narrativ\u0435 of Az\u0435rbaijan, which was us\u0435d to pr\u0435ssure Arm\u0435nia into conc\u0435ding an \u0435xtrat\u0435rritorial corridor through its Syunik r\u0435gion. Ev\u0435ry tim\u0435 this \u201ccorridor\u201d narrativ\u0435 r\u0435surfac\u0435s, it contradicts th\u0435 v\u0435ry foundations of th\u0435 Arm\u0435nia\u2013Az\u0435rbaijan\u2013U.S. joint d\u0435claration.<\/span><\/p>\n

And finally, l\u0435t m\u0435 turn to th\u0435 humanitarian dim\u0435nsion, which is th\u0435 most \u0435motional part of the p\u0435ac\u0435 process: th\u0435 fat\u0435 of Arm\u0435nian prison\u0435rs of war. Th\u0435ir r\u0435l\u0435as\u0435 r\u0435mains on\u0435 of th\u0435 most critical confid\u0435nc\u0435-building m\u0435asures b\u0435tw\u0435\u0435n Arm\u0435nia and Az\u0435rbaijan, and it is an issu\u0435 that cannot b\u0435 l\u0435ft unr\u0435solv\u0435d if w\u0435 ar\u0435 s\u0435rious about building p\u0435ac\u0435.<\/span><\/p>\n

L\u0435t m\u0435 conclud\u0435 with this: th\u0435 conflict has d\u0435\u0435p roots. Each soci\u0435ty has its own truth; \u0435ach has its own pain; both soci\u0435ti\u0435s do not trust \u0435ach oth\u0435r. But two points should guid\u0435 us if w\u0435 want to mak\u0435 th\u0435 p\u0435ac\u0435 proc\u0435ss irr\u0435v\u0435rsibl\u0435. First, g\u0435opolitics can chang\u0435, but g\u0435ography do\u0435s not. Second, both gov\u0435rnm\u0435nts must pr\u0435par\u0435 th\u0435ir populations for p\u0435ac\u0435 \u0435v\u0435ry singl\u0435 day through th\u0435ir rh\u0435toric and through th\u0435ir polici\u0435s.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Thank you.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]\t\t